People generate literally tons of items that can produce undesirable odors. Often trash is stored within waste receptacles and other enclosures for a period of time before it is secured and transferred to a secondary trash receptacle to be collected by waste management companies. In some instances products are even disposed of in a manner that may not be environmentally safe and/or appealing to the public. Consumer waste and other related disposable products often generate unappealing or undesirable odors after a period of time. The undesirable odors are commonly produced from spoiled foods, dirty diapers and other waste-related products that may even be unsafe if left open or partially closed environment. Some products may also produce odors after a period of time when exposed to heat or other conditions that may cause accelerated food decay or can break down and create bacteria and other living organisms that are unhealthy to the surrounding environment.
Because odor-producing items are frequently stored where peopled can smell the odors produced, e.g., in kitchens, nurseries, etc., and are stored for periods of time, e.g., days, before being removed, it is desirable to try to reduce odors. Some devices are available that try to limit release of the odors. There are also products available that try to mask the odors, such as air fresheners.
There are many different types of trashcans available that in some way attempt to inhibit proliferation of undesirable odors. Typical trashcans have an open bag disposed a container, and a lid that can be pivoted to provide access to the bag. With such trashcans, however, an open end of the bag exposes the contents of the bag to the surrounding environment while the lid is open, and exposes the contents to the lid while the lid is shut. Further, opening and closing of the lid causes odors from articles in the bag to be distributed (e.g., due to a vacuum produced while opening a lid, or by pushing air while closing the lid). Also, the articles may contaminate the outside surface of the can and overtime create odors and undesirable appearance on the system itself (e.g., on the inside of the lid).
There are several types of flexible film bags found in today's market that, if of a reasonable thickness, can reduce the amount of odor that permeates through the film from the inside of the bag to the surrounding environment. These bags are typically made of LDPE (Low Density Polyethylene) and HDPE (High Density Polyethylene) and allow the bag to be carried while holding disposed articles and offer some type of barrier property to reduce odors. These bags can be manufactured with an additive to provide a scent that may help mask the odor of the articles stored or disposed. There are bags or containers that are made of a laminate material, and a layer of rigid film and semi rigid or flexible (ethylene film) structure to provide a vapor barrier. Container of this sort may be manufactured to be disposable, i.e., thrown away after use.
In order to try to contain odors, there have been several devices developed and marketed within consumer and industrial markets. Consumer products are sold that have a simple thin flexible film bag, and a molded plastic rigid housing to keep the product contained during use. Often the articles disposed in the products contaminate the molded plastic component and over time this generates an undesirable odor and/or frequently requires cleaning. There are other devices that are sold with custom refills that require the device to use a specific bag that is not a standard size or component and the consumer-would require both components (i.e. the bag and the plastic housing) to make the system functional.
There are some materials that have a multi-layer structure comprising a polyethylene (PE), a secondary layer of polyester (PET), and even multiples thereof to form a bag or container. However, with these bags and containers, ethylene provides a poor vapor transmission property and requires a very thick layer of material to improve the barrier properties but is neither cost effective nor does it offer a sealed containment system. Furthermore, in the case of a bag made with multiple layers as described above, the device may not be able to be conveniently stored or economically produced.